


My Neighbor is Haunted

by PurrtlePuff



Series: The Supernatural Adventures of Jacksepticeye [6]
Category: Youtuber RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Gen, Or Is It?, also wade and molly are already engaged in this chapter so mazel tov, and mark starts acting really spooky, but there's a whole lot of septiplier bromance, dun dun duuuuun, in which jack finds out wade is moving in next door, like a buttload of angst in this chapter, may have a happy ending depending on how you look at it, maybe not his worst but pretty close to it, only to find out the only way to fix this might be his worst nightmare, really if you like septiplier fluff but are cool with them not officially dating this is your story, seriously just label this chapter 11K words of angst, tagged as major character death because we find out how mark died, there's also minor septiishu but it's so minor i didn't bother to tag it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-13
Updated: 2017-05-13
Packaged: 2018-10-31 08:35:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10895646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PurrtlePuff/pseuds/PurrtlePuff
Summary: Jack finds out the previous owner of his house, Wade, is looking to settle down. Good thing his neighbors just moved out!Well, it was, until Mark finds out his best friend is in the house. Things start getting nuts from there. Jack is determined to help Mark move past this, but he might need to find out how Mark died to figure it out. Sometimes it's better not knowing the answers.





	My Neighbor is Haunted

**Author's Note:**

> I think I just broke a record for how many words I stick into one chapter, but since some of you have been waiting a year to know the juicy details, it's justified :D
> 
> For those who haven't read previous parts, Mark is a ghost and lives in Jack, Felix, and Ken's house. So you're going to need to know that to enjoy any of this. Everything else can be filled in by reading titles of previous parts (like no joke haha)
> 
> Anyway, grab your tissues now, because you're going to need them :D

Dark clouds rolled in as Jack ate a chocolate popsicle on his porch. They expected a thunderstorm this evening, and Jack couldn’t wait. He loved the sound of rain; it reminded him of home. The cool wind shuffled his hair around, and he wondered if he left his bedroom window open.

A shadow caught in his vision. Jack turned his head, but nothing stirred. He rubbed the warmth back in his arms and sighed. Ever since those two supernatural investigators injected him with… whatever that was, he didn't’ feel right. He kept seeing shadows. He wasn’t sleeping well. He kept hearing this voice whispering his name.

“-right around here.”

Jack’s ears perked as he heard voices. Two men and a woman rounded the corner and casually talked to each other. One looked no older than a high schooler, and the other would’ve been around Jack’s age. Jack felt a sense of déjà vu looking at him. The woman walked close to him and held his hand.

The elder looking man looked up and caught Jack’s eye. He smiled stopped in his tracks, and the woman looked over at him questioningly. The boy they walked with slowed to a halt. Jack took in a deep breath before echoing back the man’s smile.

“Good afternoon,” Jack greeted.

“Hey there,” the man spoke. He turned to the boy. “This is it, guys. This is the house I used to live in.”

The boy looked up at the house. “It looks ancient.”

“It’s old but homey.” He turned his attention back to Jack.

Jack narrowed his eyes. “Wait, aren’t you the guy who used to own the house before me and Felix? Wade Barnes?”

“That’s me,” he said with a smile.

Jack jumped off the porch and walked over to shake his hand. “It’s good to see you again! How’s life been?”

“Better,” Wade said. “Oh, this is Molly, my fiance, and this is JP. He’s a friend of mine.”

“Nice to meet you,” Jack spoke. “Are you visiting town?”

“Actually, no. I’m looking around for a house to settle into. Molly and I are looking for a spot to call our own, and we’re going to let JP rent here while he goes to college.”

“Well, if you’re interested, our neighbors just moved out. I think their house is still up for sale.” Jack decided to leave out how the old family flipped their shit when their supernatural neighbors broke out into a fight on the front lawn.

“That’d be perfect!” Wade looked over at the row home sitting beside them.

Molly turned to Jack. “So, you’ve been here since Wade moved out?”

“Yep. Though it’s not just Felix and me living here anymore. One of my coworkers lives here now too. We couldn’t afford the rent on our own.”

The news made Molly’s smile slip away. “Is it pricey?”

“When you have a roommate that enjoys the nightlife, yes.”

Molly opened her mouth to say something, but a rumble of thunder interrupted her. Jack looked up at the sky as thunder clouds rolled in. He pointed to his house. “You’re welcome to stay and wait out the storm.”

“We don’t want to intrude,” Wade said.

“But it would be nice to tour where you used to live,” Molly interrupted.

“And I don’t think we could make it back to the bus shelter before the clouds opened up,” JP added.

Wade sighed. He turned to Jack and said, “Okay, sure. We’ll stay for the storm.”

Jack smiled and led them inside. He turned the door handle and thanked Felix and Ken for going out this evening. The door opened, and cool AC hit his face. He stepped in and held the door as the three followed behind him.

Wade’s jaw dropped as he walked into the house. “My wallpaper…”

“Yeah well, the Cincinnati Bengals weren’t our style,” Jack said.

Molly followed in behind Wade and hummed. “You weren’t kidding when you said these homes were spacious.”

Jack nodded. “I’m sure the neighbor’s house is just as big. And we soundproofed the walls, so you won’t hear a peep out of us.”

Lightning lit up the room, and thunder crashed outside. JP stared out the window as rain pelted the glass. He sighed and said, “We might be here a while.”

“Well, while you wait, have a seat on the couch. You want some coffee?” Jack pointed to the kitchen behind him. “Maybe some water or-“

The house pipes gurgled, and the four occupants in the living room froze. Jack laughed. “Don’t worry about that. This old house makes all sorts of noises. We’re working on getting the plumbing fixed.”

“Yeah, I remember the leaky sink faucet in the bathroom,” Wade spoke and chuckled. “Mark and I would hold a bucket underneath the faucet and use the water for soaking the dishes.” His expression softened, and Molly put a hand on his shoulder. “It’s been almost two years since...”

Jack wrung his hands together. He felt guilty knowing Mark was alive in this house, well in a sense, and Wade was oblivious.

Molly pulled Wade into a hug. “I know you miss him, sweetie. I’m sure he’d be so proud of you right now.”

“Wade?”

Jack looked over to his left and saw a horrified Mark on the stairs. His eyes were pure white, and he hovered above the floor.

“Wade?” He said again, or more so moaned, in a broken sounding voice. It sent shivers down Jack’s spine. The pipes groaned again, and Jack heard rapid running water upstairs. He watched Mark fade away into the wall.

“Did you leave the bath running?” JP asked as he pointed up the stairs. Jack excused himself, ran up the stairs, and slipped in the hallway. He landed in a large puddle of water, trailing from the bathroom and heading toward the stairway. Jack cursed under his breath before standing up and making his way to the bathroom.

The sink, shower, and bathtub faucets ran at full blast. The toilet somehow got clogged and overflowed. Jack sloshed through the water and tried to turn the sink handles, but they were stuck. He tried again.

“Mark, you stop this right now!” He grunted as he tried to turn the sink handles a third time. He heard Molly yelp downstairs, and groaned.

“Uh, Jack?” Wade’s voice called from the kitchen, “Everything okay up there?”

“Everything’s fine!”

“Okay, because your kitchen sink just sprung a leak.”

Oh, he was going to exorcise Mark for this! He stepped back from the sink and grabbed his hair with both hands. “Mark, I swear, you stop this right now.”

“I can’t,” Mark said from the bathroom doorway.

“Why not?” Jack slid as he walked over to the ghost. “You started it. You can finish it.”

Mark’s lips pulled into a thin line. Jack noticed the slumped shoulders, his cheeks were more hollowed out, and his head bowed slightly. His eyebrows creased his brow. “I just… can’t.”

“Well you better figure out how before the whole house floods,” Jack said and walked through Mark. He crept down the stairs and noticed a giant puddle escaping the kitchen door. Wade, JP, and Molly were gone.

Jack called out to them, and Molly confirmed they were in the kitchen. Jack came in and saw Wade lying halfway under the sink cabinet as JP dug around in the drawers.

“I can’t find the leak,” Wade’s voice echoed.

“Wade, really,” Jack walked over to the kitchen sink. “You don’t have to do that. Come out; I’ll take care of it.”

Wade crawled out from underneath the sink. JP handed him the dish towel sitting on the counter, and Wade patted his face dry. “Never thought I’d have to wade through my old house.”

Molly’s voice sounded concerned. “Wade, did you have problems with the plumbing like this when you lived here?”

“No.”

Jack said, “It’s recent. I haven’t had time to call a plumber yet.”

“Your water bill must be atrocious.” JP hummed.

“You have no idea,” Jack spoke as he rubbed his temples. The sun peeked through the kitchen window, and birds chirped outside. “Perhaps you should leave now so I can take care of this.”

“We can stay and help,” Molly offered.

“Nah, my roommates should be back soon. They’ll help me and call a plumber hopefully.”

“You sure?” JP asked.

Jack nodded and rubbed his arm. “Yeah, it’s not your fault. Sorry you had to sit through all that.”

“Don’t worry about it, Jack.” Wade patted his shoulder. “It’s not like you made the house go nuts.”

Oh, but he knew who did. Jack forced a smile. “You let me know if you move in next door.”

“Will do.” Wade, Molly, and JP said a quick goodbye as they stepped out of the house. As soon as the door closed, the water in the whole house stopped. Jack watched Wade, Molly, and JP turn the corner.

His hands balled into fists. “MARK YOU FUCKER!”

Jack listened. He tried calling Mark’s name again, but no noise came from the whole house. Jack sighed and supposed he should get to work on the mess before the floor stained. He stepped into the kitchen and froze.

The leak from the kitchen sink oozed black slime, and water pooled all over the kitchen floor. Jack groaned and grabbed the mop and bucket from the corner. He attacked the floor with the mop. Stupid Mark. Stupid powers. Stupid leak.

His hands burned from scrubbing at the floor so hard, but Jack didn’t care. He grabbed a bucket to squeeze the water into. The water in the bucket turned black on contact. Jack wrinkled his nose and went back to work.

This was going to take forever.

“Jesus, what happened in here?” Felix’s voice called from the front door.

“Jack, you alright?” Ken said soon after.

“Ask. Mark.” Jack growled as he emptied the mop and went back after the floor again. Felix and Ken stepped inside the kitchen, and Ken whistled.

“Wow, what happened?”

“Mark threw a tantrum,” Jack said. “Felix, you remember Wade?”

“The old owner with the obsession with tigers? Yeah, why?”

“He stopped by and brought friends. They’re thinking of moving in next door.”

“Oh, new neighbors.” Felix clapped his hands. “New people to spook off.”

Ken hissed Felix’s name and said, “That’s great… isn’t it?”

Jack stopped mopping the floor and sighed. “I don’t know. Mark saw Wade and started acting all spooky.” His voice grew quiet as he recalled the memory. “I never saw him like that before.”

“Well, in times of stress, ghosts lose control of their powers,” Ken spoke.

“Remember the fit Mark had when we moved in?” Felix asked.

Jack recalled the memory. “All he did was try to scare me and you off though. It was nothing like this.”

Ken grabbed the mop from Jack’s hands. “You go see if you can talk to Mark. We’ll take care of the mess.”

Felix’s mouth floundered. “You know I can’t touch water for too long!”

“That’s what the mop is for.” Ken smirked and turned back to Jack. “Go, he needs someone to talk to.”

“I don’t even know where to find him,” Jack mumbled.

“Oh, he’s gotta be here somewhere.” Ken pushed Jack out of the kitchen. Jack’s feet slid on the floor a bit as the kitchen door swung back and smacked his back. He turned to look at it before making his way to the stairs. Hopefully the bathroom stopped too. Jack thought of the black slime leaking out of the sink and shuddered. Mark owed them big time.

Taking one step at a time, Jack climbed the stairs and peered around the hall corner. The rhythmic drip of the bathroom sink greeted him. Jack sighed. At least one thing stayed the same. Jack dared to look into the bathroom and dry heaved. The toilet had brown water sitting to the brim, and it spilled over onto the floor.

“Mark, you up here?” He tried his best to speak without using his nose.

He walked past the bathroom and peered into his room. Nothing there. He checked Felix’s room, and it too was empty. He stopped at Ken’s door, which had a light blue light pulsing from the bottom. Jack sucked in a breath and knocked three times.

“Mark, I know you’re in there.” He waited for an answer. Jack put his hand on the door handle. “I’m coming in.”

The door unlatched itself and creaked open. Jack watched the crack grow wider. Mark sat hunched over on Ken’s bed, and his head hung in his hands. His shoulders shook as he let out a low broken moan. Jack swallowed and took a step in.

“Mark, I know you’re upset, but-”

Mark’s head snapped up, and he stared at Jack with soulless white eyes. Jack’s whole body froze. Mark looked away and back at the floor, and Jack’s body relaxed a bit. He took ginger steps toward the spirit.

“I didn’t mean to,” Mark’s voice sounded like he screamed for five hours straight.

“I know.” Jack sat on the bed. It dipped down, but Mark hovered in the same spot. “I don’t blame you.”

“Oh I heard you curse my name.”

“You didn’t let me finish. I don’t blame you now. Ken reminded me sometimes the dead-”

“You think I’d have a handle on this by now. I’ve been a ghost for two years now for fuck’s sake.”

The nightstand shook, and the picture frame on top of it tottered over. Jack put it back in its place and looked back at Mark.

“Look, I know how you feel. When I was a kid,” Jack’s voice trailed off. “It sucks when things start happening beyond your control.”

Mark rolled his eyes. “Like hell. You see dead things, and that’s about it.”

Jack held his anger in his chest. “You think being a Sensitive is a picnic either? My mom and dad had me going to every psychologist in Ireland until I was fifteen. It wasn’t my fault I could see fae and spirits and-” Jack’s voice caught in his throat. “I’m still half convinced I’m hallucinating all this.”

Mark’s expression softened. His pale irises returned, and he looked over at Jack. “I’m sorry. I’m just-”

“It’s fine,” Jack brushed the back of his neck. “I’m not here to talk about my sad story.”

Mark looked down at his feet again. Jack put a hand where Mark’s leg would’ve been. Mark took a moment before looking straight ahead at nothing.

“If I knew my story, I’d talk about it. All I remember are pieces before I died and right after it happened. I can still hear Wade screaming my name.”

“Maybe him moving in next door is a good thing. Maybe he can help us clear up some… stuff,” Jack took in a deep breath. “You still don’t remember how you died, right?”

“No. I’m pretty sure that’s my unfinished business too.”

“Great. All we gotta do is casually drop it into the conversation and try to suck the truth out of him.”

Mark side-grinned. “Jack-”

“I’m just trying to help.” Jack smirked and shrugged. His voice grew soft. “We’ll figure this out some day, Mark. I won’t have you haunting us forever.”

“No. According to Beetlejuice, it’s just 125 years.”

“That’s a movie, Mark.”

“Hey, I’m just saying.”

 

Wade parallel parked and turned off his car. He pocketed his keys and whistled... whatever that catchy song was he just heard on the radio. Did he even hit the right notes? He shrugged and grabbed the bag of groceries on the passenger seat. Mark better appreciate his splurge on Cheez-its.

He opened his car door and stood up. As he shut his car door, he noticed the front door wide open. His whistling stopped. Wade set the groceries down on the car hood. Did Mark forget to shut the front door again? He swore if any squirrels jumped out from behind the couch again, he’d put peanut butter all over Mark’s face while he was sleeping.

Wade climbed the steps and nearly tripped over the door handle. He looked back up at the door, splintered and resting crooked against the wall. Wade stopped breathing. He wanted to call out to Mark. Would he jeopardize himself if he did? Would he jeopardize Mark?

The lamp illuminated the living room, and an old Nicktoon played on the television. The kitchen door showed no light under it.

As Wade turned the corner and stared at the stairs, his foot slid in something. Wade looked down and blanched. Tiny pools of blood lead up the stairs. Wade held his breath. He couldn’t hear anything but the overly loud television.

He knew he had size in a fight, but Wade knew nothing about self-defense. He ascended one stair at a time and listened on each step. A faint drip echoed from the second floor. Wade quickened his pace.

He paused in the hall. The bathroom door hung open, and the florescent light above the mirror lit the white tiled room. Or at least, the mostly white tiled room.

Wade forgot how to breathe. Would it be Mark or the attacker on the other side? Wade slid along the walls of the hall. His heart beat out of his chest. Adrenaline shook his veins. For a moment, he contemplated turning around and calling the police, but if it was Mark on the other side, he might need help now.

Wade turned the corner. The bathroom sink dripped into a light crimson pool below it. Water escaped the sides and puddled on the floor. Beside the sink lay a dark mass with sopping wet hair, purple eyelids, and blue lips.

“Mark!” Wade’s voice sounded foreign. He shook Mark’s too icy shoulder and watched his roommate, his best friend, the only person he had left in this city who gave a damn about him, for any sign of life. Mark’s head flopped to the side.

Wade called 911. He started CPR while conversing with a woman who sounded like she’d been awake for 30 hours. While she said the ambulance was on its way, fifteen minutes passed before the police showed up, and another 10 before the ambulance arrived to take Mark.

The next few minutes passed by in a blur. Wade remembered someone asking questions, a blanket, some nice woman who gave him coffee, and the word homicide.

The ambulance siren screamed, but Wade’s mind remained muffled.

Homicide.

The murderer disappeared, along with $1,000 and an unworn wedding ring.

Homicide.

The word ticked in his mind, the only thing that convinced him time moved. Wade didn’t know how many hours passed as he sat in his chair. Was he awake? Did he sleep? His stomach didn’t growl, his heart didn’t beat, his tears never came. What time was it?

The phone rang, and Wade rose from the grave. He picked up the phone, but it kept ringing.

Ringing.

Ringing…

“Wade, please pick up your phone. It’s probably work calling you in early.”

Wade’s eyes snapped open. He lay on his left side and stared at the phone vibrating on the wooden nightstand. He answered it, still half asleep.

That dream again?

After his work asked him to come in 30 minutes early, he rubbed his temples and sat up. Molly sat beside him in bed, her eyes soft and eyebrows knit into a tight line.

“You did it again.”

Wade rubbed the side of his face. “The no breathing thing?”

“No, you were talking in your sleep.” Molly looked ready to continue but stopped. She put a hand on his shoulder. “Is everything okay?”

“Just bad memories.” Wade put his feet on the other side of the bed. The dream felt real like he relived that day. Wade grimaced. He dreamed this before but never this vivid.

“Did it have to do with Mark?”

Wade thought for a moment. “I’m going to get some coffee.” He stood up and walked down to the kitchen. He heard Molly call him, but he didn’t want to talk. He didn’t want to remember.

He heard JP’s light snores from the couch in the living room, and he crept past him. The last thing he wanted was a crabby young adult souring his already bitter mood. Perhaps his mood would drown out the burnt coffee flavor.

The coffee passed over Wade’s lips, but the heat failed to register. He took three sips before setting the mug down and palming his eyes.

They should’ve stayed away from that house.

“Wade, I know you’re upset right now, but if you need to talk, I’m here for you.”

Molly leaned against the counter and side glanced at him. Wade’s hand slipped from his face and covered his mouth. He stared out the kitchen window and thought about everything.

“It’s… I dreamt about the day Mark died.”

Molly nodded. “I see.”

“Molly, when I got the news Mark died, I couldn’t forgive myself. I still can’t. I feel like it’s my fault. If I would’ve came home 10 minutes earlier instead of going to the grocery store, he could be alive right now.”

“If you think about the past too long, you’re going to get lost in it.” Molly looked into her coffee mug. “You don’t know what would’ve happened if you came home early. It could’ve been you dead in that sink.”

A grim thought passed through Wade’s mind, one involving Mark screaming his name. “I know the butterfly effect and all, but I wonder what it’d be like if we still lived in that apartment together.”

“Well, you probably wouldn’t have met me. You wouldn’t know JP or be looking for a house close to a job you never had.”

“I know I shouldn’t be complaining. My life isn’t horrible. But when you lose someone that close to you- when your whole world turns upside down in a matter of moments-” Wade wiped a tear from his eye. “I’ve lost people before, but Mark… I wasn’t ready.”

“And no one ever will be ready for their best friend to die, but think about Mark for a minute. What would he say if he could see you right now?”

Wade dry laughed. “He’d call me a bubble blowing baby and then we’d go for Chipotle or something.” He sighed. “I know; I’m being ridiculous.”

“Being human isn’t ridiculous. Trying to change the past is. You’re not a time lord.”

“You’re right.” He looked up at the clock. “I should stop wallowing in self pity and start moving forward with my life.”

Molly leaned over and kissed his cheek. “That’s more like it. I might be a little late coming home from work tonight. I have some errands to run, but I should be home for supper.”

“Great. I’ll see you when you get home.” Wade kissed her on the lips before going back upstairs. Hopefully, today would turn around.

 

Jack sighed as he looked at the wall of Orange Juice in front of him. He never understood why there were so many brands of the same drink. How many different ways could oranges taste?

He skipped over the juice and instead grabbed a gallon of milk. Jack slid the bag of chips, three packs of meat, one jar of spaghetti sauce, and several packages of ramen to the side. Next time, Ken was doing the grocery shopping before a full moon.

“Well, we meet again.”

Jack turned his head. “Oh, hey, you’re Molly, right?”

“That’s me,” she said moving her cart closer to Jack. She looked inside. “Feeding a small army?”

“I have a roommate with a big appetite,” Jack responded. He grabbed a chocolate milk container as well.

“I see.” Molly slid her hands around the bar of her shopping cart. “Can I ask you something?”

“Yee,” Jack said as he leaned over to examine the price of yogurt.

“Have you ever felt weird in your house?” Jack froze. He stood up and looked into Molly’s eyes. “I’m sorry, that sounded a bit too personal. I guess what I’m trying to say is…” She fiddled with the ring on her finger.

“Is Wade okay?” Jack asked.

Molly sighed. “He had a nightmare about what happened… did you know why Wade gave up the house?”

Jack’s heart hammered in his chest. “Well, I know he and… someone named Mark used to own it.”

“Mark was murdered in that house.” Jack did his best to look surprised. “Wade blames himself for not being there when Mark needed him most.” Molly sighed. “After Wade came home yesterday, he had a nightmare involving the day Mark died.”

Jack’s mouth ran dry. “I’m sorry.”

“What are you sorry for?” Molly said with a light laugh. “There’s nothing you can do about it.”

Jack laughed and scratched the back of his neck. “He have those dreams often?”

“He hasn’t had one like that in a while. I woke up, and he was crying out for Mark in his sleep. I tried my best to wake him, but he wouldn’t. Thankfully, his phone shocked him awake.”

“That’s awful.”

“So I was wondering if you ever… I know what happened in that house yesterday.” Jack’s heart stopped. He held his breath and watched Molly play with her ring. “It was a bit too coincidental… us being there and the house going haywire like that.”

“Are you trying to say you think my house is haunted?”

Molly looked up, her teeth gripping her lower lip, and her eyes searching his for answers.

Molly spoke, “Maybe… maybe if Mark is still there, we can get a clairvoyant to help Wade communicate with him. Maybe he can finally get some closure. Maybe then… this probably all sounds so silly, and you probably think I'm insane-”

“No.” Jack saw Molly jump and realized he shouted. “No, I don’t think you’re silly at all. I have noticed some strange things around the house, but I never thought it could be Mark.”

“If I could find a clairvoyant and Wade agrees, would you let me do it?”

Jack’s mind spun.

What if they found out Mark was still in the house? Would they try to exorcise him? Would Mark get upset like before and make the house go crazy? What if Wade speaking with him could calm him down?

What if speaking to Wade was the closure he needed? What if when he talks to Wade, he moves on? What if this was the last time...

“Can I think about it and get back to you?” Jack asked. “I mean, I want to make sure it’s okay with Felix and Ken first.”

“Oh, of course!” Molly pulled out a piece of paper and a pen from her hand. “Here’s my number. Give me a call when you decide what to do, okay?”

“Will do,” Jack said and smiled. Molly smiled back, and she pushed her cart down the aisle. Jack stared at the numbers so long, they failed to look real anymore.

This was it.

 

“I’m home!” Jack called out as he closed the front door. He walked into the kitchen and put the groceries on the table. He stared at them before fishing the number out of his pocket. Molly’s handwriting stared back at him.

How on earth was he going to tell everyone about this?

“You look like you just saw a ghost,” Mark said from beside him.

Jack didn’t look up from his paper. Mark furrowed his eyebrows. “Everything okay?” Silence answered him. He put a hand on Jack’s shoulder. “Hey, whatever’s bothering you, I’m here for you.”

“This could fix everything,” Jack said. Mark’s eyebrows rose. “This could help you so much. It could set you free. You want this. You want this so bad. You’ve told me how much knowing means to you. You tell me every day you wish you knew how you died. And I’ve wanted you to know. I’ve wanted to give you the answers for so long, because I want you to be at peace. So why…” He didn’t realize tears were falling from his face. “Why am I so afraid to?”

“Jack,” Mark mocked a sigh. “You’re not making any sense-”

“Molly wants to get a clairvoyant,” Jack shouted. Mark recoiled like he’d been burned. “I met her and she said she wants someone to help Wade speak to you. To tell you what happened. To help you move on.” Jack’s voice caught in his throat.

Mark’s eyes filled with hope. He smiled and laughed lightly. “She wants to help me move on?” He swore he would’ve cried if he could. The room seemed brighter, and Mark felt lighter than usual. “I can move on. I can leave this place.” He looked at Jack, who was still crying.

Jack ran his fingers over his eyes and swept the tears away. “You want me to call her now?”

Mark looked over the paper, a stoic expression on his face. He floated above the table and laid on it. He offered Jack a smile, but it disappeared when Jack didn’t react to his shenanigans. “You’re really torn up about this, aren’t you?”

“I’m serious, Mark. She said to call once I… we make up our minds.” He looked over at Mark. “You’re taking this better than I thought you would.”

“How am I supposed to take it?” Mark asked.

Jack felt anger rising in his stomach. “I don’t know. You’re supposed to say ‘oh wow I don’t know’ or ‘I’m scared of moving on’ or ‘I want to stay with-”

Jack bit his lip and slid a hand through his hair. Mark propped himself up on the table with his elbow.

All this time, Jack knew what he wanted. He knew which choice he wanted Mark to make. However, he knew which choice Mark would make, and that's why… that’s why...

“God, I’m so fucking selfish,” Jack said with a broken laugh. He could feel his eyes tearing up again as he grabbed his hair with his hands. Mark sat in silence, waiting for Jack to continue. “I kept telling you I wanted to help you. I wanted you to move on, when really, that’s not what I wanted at all.”

Mark’s eyes stayed focused on Jack. He didn’t dare look away. Jack started pacing back and forth, his hands sliding from his head to fold around his chest. Back and forth, back and forth.

He stopped and stared at the floor. Jack could hear his breathing, the pounding of his heart. He could feel the sweat lining his brow, soaking his palms. A few times, he wiped his palms off on his pants, but the sweat kept coming back. He knew Mark’s eyes watched him, but he didn’t dare look up.

What would Mark even say to him? Jack knew what he’d say to himself. He’d tell himself that Mark’s choice was way more important than wanting Mark to stick around for his own enjoyment, especially when Mark didn’t want to be there.

Eventually, Jack collapsed into a chair, his head in his hands.

Mark rubbed the back of his neck. “You’re not selfish, Jack.”

“Oh really?” Jack laughed through his hands. “Then what am I, Mark?”

“Human.” Mark drifted off the table and floated at Jack’s side. He continued, “Look, I know what it’s like to lose someone you’re not ready to lose. I miss Wade every day. He was the only thing I had to hold onto. But I know I can’t have him back, no matter how much I want to.”

Jack sighed. “It still doesn’t make me keeping you here right.”

“Who says I want to leave you?”

Jack looked up at that. Mark’s smile, ever contradictory to his icy touch on Jack’s shoulder, met his gaze. “Please, it’s all you’ve ever talked about, ever since I met you.”

“No, I said no one could help me,” Mark replied. “Don’t you remember?”

“Oh trust me, I do.”

“But you did. Not in the way you wanted to, but you did.” Mark looked up at the ceiling. “I hated being a ghost. All I wanted to do was be human again. I was so lonely and angry. And then you and your stubborn ass walked into my life. You reached out to me, even when I kept pushing you away. You accepted me for what I was. You gave me a reason to stay.”

Jack smiled and then pushed it away. “But you’re meant to move on.”

Mark shrugged. “Yeah, but maybe I like it here more. Besides, what’s waiting for me on the other side?”

“Freedom.”

Mark laughed. “As tempting as that sounds, no thanks.”

Jack smiled and sighed. “So… what do you want me to tell her?”

“Give us time,” Mark replied. “She did say when we were ready, right?”

“Well yeah, but-”

“Well, I’m not ready.” Mark put a hand on Jack’s shoulder. “Not yet.”

Jack and Mark watched from the doorway of their home as Wade and Molly put the “SOLD” sticker on the house next to them.

Jack kept glancing over to Mark. The spirit’s expression resembled a parent watching their child receive their diploma. Nothing started to shake yet, which was a plus in Jack’s book.

Wade waved over at Jack, who sent back a casual wave.

Jack cupped his hands around his mouth. “I hope you don’t mind noisy neighbors.”

“I hope you don’t mind my Bengals wallpaper,” Wade yelled back.

Jack laughed as Molly said something to Wade, and Wade looked a bit sheepish. The two of them kissed as Wade walked Molly inside.

“You doing okay?” Jack asked as he looked over at Mark.

“Better than I thought I would,” Mark replied. He drifted from the doorway into the living room and sat on the couch. Jack followed and plopped down with a triumphant sigh. He heard Ken and Felix talking at the dining room table, something about finances, and stared up at the ceiling. The clock behind them ticked time away. Mark looked over at Jack and imitated his pose.

“I can’t believe Wade is my neighbor now,” Mark said with a laugh.

“Childhood memory?”

“Hell if I know.” Mark shrugged. “But I’m sure I would’ve wanted it.”

Jack smiled. “It only took him, what, two months to buy that house?”

“I guess. Time kind of stands still for me.”

“Right.” Jack thought of the paper resting on his dresser. “You ready yet?”

“Nah.” Mark looked up at the clock. “You have a date with Signe tomorrow morning, right?”

Jack glanced up at the time. “Sleep is for the weak.”

“Not when you pass out on your date’s shoulder at the movie theater.”

Jack cried out a quick ‘hey’ and wanted to shove Mark to the side. Mark laughed, and Jack couldn’t help but laugh along with him. His laughter was so contagious.

“I should probably get some rest.” Jack stood up and stretched. It didn’t feel like 10 at night. He walked upstairs to get a shower, prepped himself for bed, then tucked in for the night. He replied to a few messages from his mom before rolling over and closing his eyes.

The sound of shouting woke him from a dead sleep. Jack opened his eyes and sat up in his bed. It sounded like a woman. He noticed floodlights shining through his bedroom window, and he got out of bed to take a look.

Jack pulled back the curtains. Molly was in her pajamas, calling from the porch for someone to come back. Jack’s eyebrows furrowed. He watched Molly race down the stairs and toward their yard.

Jack peeked down below. Wade was walking toward the house. Jack threw on a pair of pants before climbing down the stairs. He froze about halfway down.

The air was freezing. Mark stared out the window, his eyes white. Jack crept down the rest of the stairs to get a closer look. Mark’s gaze led to Wade, who Molly now had around the waist.

“You can’t go in there,” Molly cried out. “Wade, please, wake up!”

Jack took one last look at Mark before running over toward the door. He threw it open and walked into the summer night’s air.

“Is everything okay?” he asked.

Molly looked up at him, embarrassment and worry etched on her face. “Please, Jack, I can’t wake him. He keeps telling me he has to get in the house to save Mark.”

Jack walked over and put his hands on Wade’s shoulders. Wade looked right through Jack, and Jack shook him.

“Wade, dude you gotta wake up. You’re asleep.”

It took three more tries before Wade seemed to become conscious. He looked around, his jaw dropped and eyebrows knitted together.

“How… did I get out here?”

Jack sighed a breath of relief. Molly put her arms around Wade, who didn’t seem to register her touch right away and thanked someone under her breath.

Wade’s lips tightened into a fine line. “I did it again, didn’t I?”

Molly sighed through her nose. Jack back up a bit, giving the couple their space. He looked back at the window, and Mark had vanished at some point. Jack looked back at Molly, who was helping Wade walk back to the house.

Jack closed the front door. Ken stood at the top of the stairs, looking at Jack with a worried expression. Jack shook his head and then looked around.

“Mark, you okay?” Jack held his breath. The air felt warm, and the house stood still.

“Jack,” Ken spoke. “Mark tried to get through the front door.”

Jack turned around. He looked at the door and back to Ken.

“But he can’t,” Jack spoke. “Mark knows he can’t leave.” Fear gripped Jack’s heart. If Mark tried to leave-

Jack ran into the kitchen. He looked around, turned and back into the living room.

“Jack.”

“Mark, where are you?” Jack ran down into the basement. The only sound he heard was his heavy breathing. Jack climbed back up the stairs and ran past Ken.

“Jack, wait.”

“He’s got to be here somewhere!” Jack cried out. He climbed the stairs and looked around his room. The bathroom. Their bedrooms. The attic.

The house was warm, but Jack couldn’t feel colder.

Ken climbed up the attic stairs. “Would you listen to me for two seconds?”

“Why didn’t you try to stop him?” Jack snapped.

“Oh yeah, I’m going to stop a ghost. Good logic there.”

Jack groaned. He rubbed his hands over his face, trying to warm them up. No matter what, his hands still tingled.

Ken put a hand on Jack’s shoulder. “Would you calm down?”

“Calm down? Mark’s gone! He disappears if he walks out of the house.”

“No, he dispersed his energy.” Jack flinched. “When a ghost goes too far away from the place they’re tied down to, their energy scatters, like when you shatter glass.”

Jack recalled the time Mark reached out to him. “So he can reform it?”

“Of course,” Ken smiled. “It might take him a while, but he’ll come back. Right now, he’s probably trying to figure out where his balls went.”

Jack snuffed at that. He imagined bits of Mark floating around the house, trying to reform themselves like pieces of the Iron Giant.

“It’s late,” Ken said. “You should go back to bed. Hopefully, Mark will have pulled himself together by the morning.”

Jack muttered a quick ‘thanks’ before walking back to his room. He buried himself in the blankets and tried to cover up his thoughts.

 

Jack woke to his phone vibrating. He looked at the screen to see Signe’s smiling face looking back. At first, he smiled, but then he looked at the time.

“Shit, I’m so sorry Signe,” Jack said as he put the phone up to his ear.

“You okay? It’s not like you to miss one of our dates,” Signe said.

Jack pinched the bridge of his nose. “Something happened last night. You remember me telling you about Wade, right?”

“Is he having trouble with the new house?”

“Kind of… look, last night, Wade started sleepwalking over to our house. He kept saying how he needed to save Mark. It took both me and his fiancee, Molly, to snap him out of it. And then on top of that, Mark scattered himself trying to get out to Wade, so I have no idea where he is.”

Jack listened to the other end of the phone. He continued, “You’re awful quiet.”

“I’m thinking,” Signe replied. She took in a deep breath and exhaled. “Jack, I think Wade might have a piece of Mark’s soul attached to him.”

“So, how do we get it off of him?”

“Wade has to let it go,” Signe replied. “His grief over what happened is keeping a piece of Mark’s soul tethered to him because he doesn’t want to let Mark go.”

Jack furrowed his brows. “How do you know?”

“I’ve seen it happen too many times. You know how spirits are drawn to strong emotions, right? If Wade found him when he died, before his spirit got a chance to pass on, part of Mark’s spirit could’ve latched onto Wade for energy.”

“But wait, when Wade showed us the house, Mark didn’t freak out like that.”

“The distance probably messed with him. When Wade was showing you around the house, that part of Mark was still around, so he didn’t notice it. Now that he’s here, his spirit wants that closure again.”

Jack thought to himself. “So, let’s say Wade doesn’t let it go. What happens then?”

“Well, with him being so close to Mark, it’ll probably drive him insane. His nightmares are going to get worse. If he comes in the house, he’s going to start seeing Mark after a while. He’s going to start questioning everything, and people are going to think he’s losing his mind. And who knows what’ll happen to Mark.” Signe paused. “Jack, the only way to fix this is to have Wade give that piece of Mark’s soul back, and that means Mark might-”

“Mark will move on.” Jack sighed into the phone.

“I’m sorry.” Signe paused. “If you want to cancel our date, I’ll understand. It sounds like you have a lot on your mind right now.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Jack, take care of yourself. I’m going to be here. Mark… might not be here soon, and I know how much he means to you.”

Jack bit his lip. He cursed under his breath and thought for a moment. “Okay, I’ll see you soon. I love you.”

“Love you too.” Signe said goodbye before hanging up the phone, and Jack let his phone fall into his lap. He rubbed his face.

Just when he thought he had everything figured out-

Someone knocked on the door, and Jack looked up. Felix leaned in the doorway, his lips drawn into a forced smile.

“Heard you had a rough night.”

Jack flopped back on the bed. He blinked at the ceiling several times. “What are we going to do?”

Felix looked down at the floor and then back to Jack. “I don’t know if there’s anything we can do.”

Jack laughed and covered his eyes with his hand. He could feel tears rising again, but he was so tired of feeling helpless.

Felix sat down on the bed and flopped down beside Jack. The room settled into silence. Felix looked over at Jack. He opened his mouth to say something but looked at the ceiling instead.

“I wish I never bought this stupid house,” Felix mumbled.

“Don’t say that.”

“I mean it.” Felix paused. “I didn’t think we’d get attached to Mark. I thought we were going to help him move on. But I should’ve known better.”

“Neither of us thought we were going to get attached to Mark.” Jack let his hand fall from his face. “We gotta let Wade talk to Mark.”

He sat up and looked at Jack’s window. His eyes set back on Jack before he ran a hand through his hair, his eyebrows furrowed and lips pulled into a tense line.

“I don’t want to give him up either,” Jack said as he sat up beside Felix. “But if we don’t, Wade is going to get worse. I couldn’t put that on my conscience.”

“I could.”

“Felix.”

“Kidding.” Felix snickered. “But not really.”

Jack pushed Felix, who laughed hard. Jack smiled before sighing. He let his head flop down on Felix’s shoulder, the chill burning his heated cheeks.

“Did Mark come back yet?”

“I haven’t seen him.”

Jack looked over at a crumpled piece of paper on his dresser. He grabbed his phone and dialed the number written down.

“What are you-”

“Molly? Hey, it’s Jack. I think the sooner you get that clairvoyant here, the sooner we can help Wade.” Felix raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, I’m sure. Anytime is good for me. I’m worried about Wade. I don’t want this to get worse. And if him talking to Mark will make this whole thing blow over-” Jack took in a deep breath and looked straight into Felix’s eyes, “I want to help him.”

 

Jack’s legs bounced up and down as he sat on the couch. The clock ticked once for every five shakes. Felix sat across from him, watching Jack’s leg bouncing up and down. He kept checking his phone’s clock. Ken hummed as he washed dishes in the other room, something he always did Jack noted when he was nervous.

They all were.

The house felt empty. All three of them were home, but they knew that one person was missing. Jack missed the random visits in the morning, the chicken dumplings baking after a hard day of work, sitting on the couch and laughing at random stuff.

Of course, he should get used to it. This is what his future looked like. However, Jack didn’t want to let go.

The doorbell rang.

Jack looked across the room and caught Felix’s eyes. Felix looked at the door right away. Jack took in a deep breath and stood up, straightening out his shirt on the way. He crossed the room and opened the door.

Molly smiled as she greeted Jack. Jack sent her a casual greeting and looked over her shoulder.

Wade’s cheeks were hollowed in, and large bags sat under his eyes. His skin was noticeably paler, and he didn’t even seem to notice Jack said hello to him. Molly sent Jack an apologetic smile. However, Jack knew it wasn’t Wade fault.

Jack’s eyes went from Wade to a pretty woman with long black hair behind them. Molly stepped off to the side.

“Jack, this is Suzy, the clairvoyant I told you about.”

“Nice to meet you,” Jack said as he held out his hand. Suzy looked down at his hand and shied away.

“Sorry for being rude,” Suzy said, “but I don’t want to be thrown off by any negative energy before we do the seance.”

Oh, that was… an odd statement.

“Of course,” Jack said, trying not to sound offended. “Come on in.”

The three stepped into the room. Suzy looked around and hummed.

“Do you have a table or something in a dark room we could use?”

Jack thought of the table in the basement, but with the way Ken tore it apart after the last full moon, he didn’t want anyone going down there. “Uh, I think we can do it in the dining room. We could turn off all the lights. Is that okay?”

“That’s fine,” Suzy answered. Her eyes rested on Felix. The latter stood up.

“Well, to the dining room we go.”

The five of them walked into the kitchen door. Ken pulled the blinds closed against the window.

“Before we begin,” Suzy said and took a seat at the table. “It will help if we have something of his. Is there anything we can use?”

“Do you think we could use Wade?” Molly asked.

“It might work if they were really close,” Suzy answered.

Molly put her hand on Wade’s and rubbed his knuckles. “They were very close.”

Suzy pulled some candles out of her bag and put them on the table. She lit them, one by one, and blew out the flame. Her hand reached out to hold onto Molly’s.

“Everyone please hold hands. Our energy combined will help us call him.” The group did as they were told. Suzy closed her eyes and chanted three times.

“Spirit show yourself, spirit reveal, spirit come to me so I know you are real.”

Felix and Ken exchanged a look. Jack raised an eyebrow, but they didn’t look like they wanted to share what they were thinking. Suzy opened her eyes and looked around the table.

“Mark, can you hear us?”

Jack saw a weak light shimmer in the corner of the room. He thought he saw something until he felt Felix squeeze his hand and look in the same direction. The light flickered and disappeared.

“Mark?” Jack called out. “We’re here for you. Can you… are you…?”

The light returned, a little brighter. Jack watched it shape itself before extinguishing again.

Suzy shook her head. “I can sense him, but for some reason, he’s really weak.”

“What does that mean?” Molly asked.

“I’m not sure.” Suzy’s eyebrows furrowed. “And I really don’t want to…”

“Do what?” Molly asked.

“Sometimes it’s easier to communicate with the dead if they enter your body. It gives them the energy they need to be heard by the living. But if it’s not Mark-”

“I’ll do it,” Jack blurted out. All eyes flashed to him. “I’d rather… if something goes wrong, we’ll need you to help.”

“Jack,” Suzy said, her voice warning. “I don’t want you dealing with more than you already have.”

Jack furrowed his eyebrows. He wanted to prod about what she meant but decided against it. “I can handle it.”

Suzy sighed. “I need you to repeat this phrase: Mark, if you can hear me, I invite you to enter my body for communication.”

Jack took a deep breath. Felix squeezed his hand and sent him a comforting smile. Ken nodded his head and mouthed ‘you can do it’ before biting his lip.

Jack closed his eyes and spoke the words Suzy told him to.

The room held its breath.

Jack squeezed his eyes shut harder.

His heartbeat echoed in his ears.

“Can you feel him?” Suzy asked. “Jack… can you hear me?”

Jack’s shoulders felt cold. He flinched but kept his eyes shut. The cold calmed him, almost like…

“I feel him,” Jack spoke as a smile graced his face.

Wade rose from the dead. “Mark, are you here?”

Jack felt his back tingle. The room around him faded to black, and he couldn’t feel Felix or Suzy holding his hand any longer. He looked around. The endless darkness swallowed him like an ocean. He was alone.

But the warm feeling never left his side.

“Mark?” Jack called into the darkness.

A white light flashed, and Mark’s figure appeared before him. Mark smiled, his cheeks hollow and eyes white. He staggered and fell to his knees. Jack reached out to steady Mark, and to his surprise, he caught Mark under his arms. They were warm, like blankets fresh out of the dryer. Jack felt like crying.

“Hey Jack,” Mark said, his head hanging low. “I’m so tired.”

“I know,” Jack said, his eyes tearing up. “What the hell were you thinking, going outside that door?”

Mark was silent. “I felt something calling me outside. It sounded like Wade. He was calling my name. I wanted to be with him. I wanted to tell him I was okay.”

Jack swallowed thickly. He rested down on the ground and cradled Mark’s head in his lap. He ran his fingers through Mark’s thick hair. Mark closed his eyes and smiled.

“You’re so warm. I haven’t been this warm in… I can’t remember when.”

Jack took in a deep breath. “We’re going to help you, Mark. I’m going to help you. We called that medium, and she’s… she’s going to make this all go away.”

Mark hummed. “Are you ready?”

Jack thought for a moment. He stared into the darkness, letting it swallow his emotions. “It doesn’t matter what I want. I’m doing this for Wade. I’m doing this for you.”

Jack heard Wade’s voice echoing through the darkness. Calling Mark. Jack looked down at Mark and smiled.

“He’s waiting for you.”

Mark faded from Jack’s lap, leaving him surrounded in a warm, loving darkness.

 

Molly looked from Suzy to Jack and back again. Suzy’s eyes stayed trained on Jack’s face like she was reading a suspenseful book.

“Is… is he okay?” Molly asked.

“Mark?” Wade called out, his voice haunting the room. “Are you there?”

Jack’s head perked at the mention of Mark’s name. He blinked; his eyes glowing a light blue, almost rivaling Felix’s eyes. Felix gripped onto Ken’s hand, who let out a silent laugh under his breath.

“Wade?” he spoke and looked across the table.

Molly laughed and bit her lip. She looked over at Wade, who stared at Jack like he stared at death in the face. For a while, the two of them stayed locked into a staring contest.

“It’s been so long,” Mark spoke through Jack. A sideways grin graced his face.

Wade’s eyes began to tear up. “I’m… so sorry.”

“For what?” Mark asked, his eyebrows furrowing.

Wade’s lips failed to form words. “This… isn’t real. I’m just dreaming, just like all those other times.”

“Wade,” Mark spoke. “I’m right here.”

“But you’re not,” Wade replied. “You’re dead, Mark. They… they killed you. Drowned you in the sink. I couldn't… I couldn’t start your heart back up.”

Wade’s lips moved, but his voice was muffled. Just like that night. Mark’s hair felt caked to his face, drenched with sweat. Or water. The sound of a rushing faucet screamed in his ear. Mark’s eyes widened. He felt dizzy, and all his senses burned.

“Mark?” Wade called out, his voice concerned. “Are you still here?”

Mark’s white eyes looked up. Everything looked like glass on a rainy day.

 

“I know you’re still here.”

Mark held his breath as he leaned against his bedroom door. His heart pounded in his ears, and he held onto his shoulder, which was probably popped out of place. Something wet slid down his right temple and stung his eyes. He reached up to touch it and pulled red fingers back.

Footsteps echoed up the hall. He heard a gun click. Mark looked around the room for anything to defend himself with.

“You can’t hide forever.”

The voice was closer. He heard one of the doors open and slam shut. Mark grabbed a bat from the side of his dresser, one he used in a short film back in high school. He thanked Daniel for letting him keep it.

Another door opened and closed. Mark moved over to the side of his door, readying himself to attack.

“I don't know if you're a vampire too, but I do know Felix was here. Why don't you come out so we can talk about it?”

The voice was right outside the door. Mark held his breath and gripped the bat so tight his knuckles turned white.

The door handle turned.

Mark swung down as hard as he could.

The bat hit the man’s arm, and he recoiled. Mark pushed himself out the door and tackled the man. His face was fuzzy. The gun flew out of his hands.

Mark rose his hand to swing the bat again. The man grabbed his wrist. Mark’s world capsized. The man was on top of him, pinning him to the ground.

Mark took aim and spit straight. It hit the man in the eye. He cried out and swiped at his eye. Mark pulled his knee up and hit the man in the stomach. The man grunted out, and Mark slammed his palm into the man’s chin.

Mark pushed, and the man fell into the wall, knocking over a picture frame. Mark staggered to his feet.

Phone. 911. He had to get help.

Mark took off toward the stairs. As he lifted his foot to descend, a hard object hit his head. Mark’s world spun. He crumbled to the floor, clutching the back of his head. The world faded to black for a second.

The next few seconds were fuzzy.

Mark felt himself being drug somewhere. He looked up. The man was all shapes and colors. A badge swung from his pocket. Mark squinted his eyes.

Who the fuck was William?

Mark’s body twisted. When did he get by a river? No, he was in his bathroom.

Mark’s face submerged in water. His head was pinned, and his arms were pulled behind his back. He lacked the strength to pull them away.

Away. He had to get away.

He had to breathe.

Mark flailed anything that could move. The water tinged red, clouding his view and mind. He had to get away. He had to kick. He had to fight.

He had to...

He had...

He was…

 

“Mark?”

Mark’s head snapped up, his face wet with sweat and tears. Everyone watched him with the same horrified expression.

“I remember,” he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Remember what?” Felix asked, his voice cracking.

“How I died. I couldn’t for so long.” Mark swallowed. “He… at least I think it was a man… I was drowned in the bathroom sink. I couldn’t see his face. I… did catch a name.”

“Who?” Wade asked.

“I didn’t see the last name, but his first name was William.”

Felix hissed beside him, and Ken grit his teeth. He felt Suzy tense beside him and mutter something under her breath.

Mark continued, “I don’t blame you for a thing, Wade. I don’t know what he was after, but whatever happened, you weren’t the one to blame.”

Wade looked down at the ground. “I’m not...”

“You’re not what?” Mark furrowed his brows.

“I’m not forgiving myself,” Wade spoke like a gushing faucet. “Everything is my fault. If I would’ve come straight home instead of stopping at the grocery store, you could be alive right now. You’d be the best man in my wedding, and we’d be playing video games on the couch. You would’ve finished college, and gone on to do what you always wanted to do: make the world a better place. But not anymore. Not after-”

“Wade,” Mark spoke with a light laugh. “You really think I blame you for any of this?”

Wade’s head drooped, and he spoke low. “No.”

“I know you did everything you could to save me that night. I was there when you were screaming my name. I didn’t want to leave you go. I couldn’t.”

“But you have to. Mark, I… I don’t want you to leave. But... but that time is over. It’s time for you to move on. It’s time for you to forget about me.”

“Now how could I possibly forget you? You saved me.”

Wade’s laugh came out broken.

“I’m serious! You know how many times I wanted to quit? How many times did I think I couldn’t do it? But you know who was there to see me through it all? You. You were there when I needed you. You were always there for me. I couldn't have asked for a better friend.”

Wade’s head dropped as he started to laugh. “I know."

“That’s why I need you to let me go.”

Wade’s eyebrows furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“I’ve been waiting for you to let me go. I can’t move on because I don’t want to leave you like this. I want you to be happy, even if it’s without me. You have a beautiful fiancee. You have a future. You have a life, even if it’s without me, and you’re missing it.”

Wade looked down.

“No, Wade, you look at me, and you promise you’re going to live your life without regretting that night. I want you to. It’s my last wish. Can you do that for me?”

Wade’s eyes teared up as he looked into Mark’s eyes. “I can try.”

“No, not try. You do. Promise me, Wade.”

Wade nodded his head. “I promise.”

Mark smiled, and his body started to tingle.

This was it. This was his closure.

“Thank you, Wade, for everything. I’ll see you… in the next life.” He let go of Suzy’s hand and waved. “Buh bye.”

The candle extinguished on the table.

 

Jack sat in the darkness, his eyes closed. He heard Mark’s voice, speaking to Wade, reassuring Wade that he’ll be okay.

A bright light shimmered at his side, and Jack opened his eyes. Mark appeared in full color and stood beside him. He smiled, his brown eyes crinkling up in the corners.

“I did it,” he said. “I feel… whole.”

Jack stood up, his heart swelling. His eyes teared up. “So… this is goodbye?”

“I guess?” Mark shrugged. “I don’t know how this works. There’s supposed to be some sort of light calling me away… right?”

“That’s how the stories go,” Jack answered.

Mark frowned and lifted a hand up. He swiped a tear from Jack’s eye. “Hey, it’s going to be okay. You’re going to be fine.”

“I know,” Jack said, as he held onto the side of Mark’s hand. He chuckled. “It feels so weird to touch you.”

“I know. I didn’t think I’d ever be able to-”

“Mark, I think I see your light.”

The two of them turned as a bright light shown. It formed the shape of a door. A calming white light pulsed from the door, faded into a pink, and disappeared.

“This is it,” Mark’s body trembled. “I’m free.”

“I told you I’d help you move on.”

Mark turned to Jack, his eyes tearing up. He reached out and pulled him into a tight hug. Jack held him back and buried his face into Mark’s neck. He held onto him like a mother before her child went off to college.

“Thank you… for everything,” Mark said.

Jack held tighter. He didn’t want to let go. He wanted Mark to stay.

But this wasn’t about him.

“Go,” Jack said as he exchanged their hug to hold onto Mark’s hands. “It won’t wait forever.”

Mark looked into Jack’s eyes, a sad smile on his face. He squeezed onto Jack’s hand, noticing the tremble of his fingers as Jack tried to hold back tears.

“Jack?” the darkness echoed. Jack could pick out Felix and Ken’s voices.

“They’re waiting for you too.”

Jack wiped his tears away with his sleeve. “I guess I should go join the living then.”

Mark nodded. He pulled away, letting Jack’s fingers linger on his palm a little while. He stood in front of the light, basking in the warm air flowing through its doors. He could hear a man calling his name on the other side, guiding him like beacon.

“Don’t forget me,” he spoke. As he turned, he saw Jack had already vanished from the darkness. Mark couldn’t forget the look on Jack’s face like he watched Mark die before him. Heck, to Jack, this was Mark dying, even if he was already gone.

It was the last face he’d ever see of Jack.

Mark wished he could say goodbye to Felix, and thank him for his kindness. He wanted to say one last word to Ken, to ask someone to keep the wolf company on nights he shifted.

His last few years on Earth, even if he wasn’t alive for them, were some of the best years of his life. It was warm, calming, a place that went from a prison to a sanctuary.

It was home.

Mark turned back to the light. He remembered Jack’s touch, the way he lingered on his skin, and smiled.

“I know I won’t forget you.”

 

Jack opened his eyes. He saw Wade first, crying across the table. Molly rubbed circles on his back, whispering sweet words.

“Welcome back.”

Jack looked over and saw Suzy staring at him with a smile. He blinked and furrowed his brow. Felix patted his back to his left. Jack noted the tears in Felix’s eyes, and the way Ken kept swallowing hard.

“He’s free,” Jack said, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Well how about that,” Felix said, his own eyes tearing up. “You helped the bastard after all.”

Jack felt his body returning to that numb cold he felt before Mark came back. He bit his lip. He wanted to hold onto that warmth. He wanted it for himself. He didn’t want to let go.

But he had to.

For Mark.

“I guess I did,” Jack said.

Molly thanked Suzy up and down for helping them. Wade seemed to find a new life of his own, cracking jokes and making Molly groan. They even managed to make Felix and Ken crack a smile.

“Jack.” Suzy grabbed onto his shoulder. “I need you to know something.”

“What’s up?” He saw Suzy look away and twitch her head toward the door. Jack caught the hint, and the two of them walked outside of the room. Suzy made sure the door was shut.

“There’s a darkness in you,” she spoke, “a negative energy I can’t explain. I don’t know where it came from, but it’s dangerous.”

Jack’s heart beat in his chest. “Is it… some sort of demon?”

“No,” Suzy spoke. “It’s part of your soul. Have you… been seeing weird things lately?”

“Well, I’ve always been a little… gifted with the supernatural.”

“You’re a Sensitive.” Jack’s hair bristled. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to hurt you. I’m warning you. That darkness inside your soul, the one that allows you to see the supernatural, is stronger than I’ve ever seen before. Unnaturally strong. If you’re not careful, it can consume you.”

Jack recalled the faces in the mirror not adding up, the voice he’d hear at night, and the missing memory of what happened in that house. “What should I do?”

“Stay away from as many supernatural creatures as you can. If any of them make it stronger… I don’t want to know what will happen. I know you already live with a vampire and a werewolf, but I also know they won’t hurt you. Neither would Mark, when he was living here.” Jack opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off. “I know a lot more about you than you think.”

“How?”

Suzy winked. “I’m not revealing my secrets.” Her smile fell. “Don’t take my warning lightly. Someone’s going to get hurt if it gets out of control.”

“Got it,” Jack said with a nod. Suzy sighed in relief and walked over to the front door.

“Oh, and Jack, I’m sorry about Mark. He seemed like a good guy.” She said a quick goodbye and disappeared out the door.

The group from the kitchen entered the living room.

“And thank you so much for doing this for us,” Molly spoke.

“You don’t know how much it means to us,” Wade added. “What it means to me.”

Felix looked over at Jack and smiled. “Oh, I’m sure we can relate.”

Wade and Molly said their goodbyes and walked out of the house. The grandfather clock ticked the silence away.

Jack started laughing. He didn’t know why, but he couldn’t stop. He laughed so hard he cried. At some point, he started sobbing, and both Felix and Ken were with him, offering him support.

Jack sat with Felix on the couch until midnight. They were watching some sort of movie, but Jack couldn’t remember most of it, honestly.

At some point, he must’ve fallen asleep, because Felix was nudging him awake. He helped Jack up the stairs and into the bed. Jack didn’t even bother getting undressed. He burrowed himself down into the blankets and tried to warm his icy body.

Mark’s face appeared in his mind.

Jack rolled over and squeezed his eyes closed.

“Don’t forget me.”

Jack wanted to answer Mark, but he came back to the world of the living too soon. He wished he watched Mark move on. Part of him needed that closure, but the other part of him knew Mark was safe, with people who loved him. He wasn’t being tormented on Earth anymore.

Mark’s laugh echoed in his mind. He wished he got that chicken dumpling recipe from Mark. Of course, it wouldn't taste the same. He wished he recorded a lot of his memories with Mark. However, he knew, he’d never forget anything that happened.

“Don’t forget me.”

Jack smirked. “I don’t think I ever could.”

“Good.”

Jack sat up straight up in his bed. A white mass, with glowing blue eyes and a warm smile, stared at him from the corner.

“Mark, what… you were supposed to-”

“I know,” Mark said. He walked over to Jack’s bed and sat down on the edge of it. His eyes stared out the window. “You know, that whole time, you kept saying you were ready to let me go.”

“I am.”

“You didn’t let me finish. You were ready to let me go, but who said I was ready to let you go?”

Jack bit his lip. “Mark, you gave up your chance to move on.”

Mark shrugged. “It didn’t feel right. I wasn’t ready.”

“Mark.”

Mark raised an eyebrow. “If I’m not at peace, I shouldn’t move on, right?”

“I don’t want to be the reason you stayed.”

“I’m not giving you much of a choice. I’m stuck here now.” Mark swung his legs back and forth. “Guess you’re stuck with me haunting your ass forever.”

Jack wanted to be angry. He wanted to scream at Mark for being so stubborn, so dumb, so…

“If you wake me up by putting goo in my bed again, I’m going to make Suzy come back and get rid of you.”

Mark chuckled. “No promises.”

Jack rolled over. He couldn’t help but smile into his pillow. Mark was staying. It was a stupid reason, but if Mark wanted it, who was he to argue? A warmth spread from his chest and throughout his body. The feeling of home wrapped around him like a blanket. He felt like he could breathe again.

He felt whole.

For the first time in a week, Jack fell into a deep sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Well... that was fun :D
> 
> The next part isn't finished yet, so I don't know when it will be released. I will let you know it's a lot of anti-angst though, unlike this chapter, so there's that. 
> 
> Want sneak peeks and to stalk my work more? Follow me on Tumblr at [purrtlepuff](purrtlepuff.tumblr.com) or just stalk me silently. No peer pressure from me.
> 
> Until next time!


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